The Particularities of Traditional Funeral Ceremonies of Sunni Muslims in Bulgaria

Authors:

Pages: 205-213
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/KHZM1070

Abstract:

In the traditional ritual practice of Sunni Muslims, several types of funerals, which differ from ordinary funerals, are known. They are defined as particularities or irregular funerals. Their irregularity is expressed in the fact that they are performed without the well-known care for the dead body i.e. the deceased is not buried according to the norm established by tradition and Islam. In most cases, the funeral features are determined by the actual or imagined features of the deceased, and more specifically by the traditional assessment of those features. The subject of the study, are two groups of Sunni Muslim – Turks and Bulgarian Muslims. The irregularity of these funerals is associated with: Omission of basic and obligatory for funeral rituals, such as: bathing the dead body or performing of the specific mass funeral prayer (cenaze namazı); Burial outside the cemetery; Specific features of the tombstones.

Keywords:

particular funerals; irregular deceased; Sunni Muslims; cemetery; funeral prayer.

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